People of The Land #24

PEOPLE OF THE LAND
Selections from classical Torah sources
which express the special relationship between
the People of Israel and Eretz Yisrael

YEHOSHUA -
THE PASSING OF A GIANT

Two unusual features are associated with the burial of
the spiritual leader who brought his people into Eretz Yisrael.

One is the Heavenly reaction to the deficiency of proper eulogies for
Yehoshua upon his passing. His burial site is described (Yehoshua
24:30) as "north of the volcano". Our Talmudic Sages (Mesechta
Shabbat 105b) explain this as a reference to the nearby mountain
in Har Efraim that threatened to erupt, as a sign of Heavenly disapproval
of this lack of proper tribute to so great a Jew.

The second feature is the tombstone placed on his grave at Timnat Serach.
This site is identified elsewhere as Timnat Cheres, which translates
as "Picture of the Sun" - a reference to the drawing of the
sun on Yehoshua's tombstone. The purpose of this drawing was to recall
the miracle of Yehoshua stopping the sun to enable him to complete his
rout of the five Emorite kings he battled (Yehoshua 10:12-13).
Those who passed by his tomb would thus be aroused to reflect on the
tragedy of death coming to one who had accomplished such a supernatural
feat.